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Advice on embedding PDF files

We are working on a new ad platform, selling text ads, and linking to PDF ads. One usability problem we are having is, unless the consumer is familiar with Acrobat Reader, lets say a 2x5 ad is coming up full screen, which our managers don't like. We may have the problem of full page ads, since I work for a newspaper, to really bog down old machines and 52K modems. We have settled on 100 dpi for the ads to keep file size down.

The main question is how can I control what the viewer sees when they click on the ad. I've only briefly heard of embedding a pdf file in to the page. Even though this may be more work then what I want. Is there anyway I can control the size on my end when reader opens up. Or could anybody send me links or information on embedding PDFs.

Well I work in a print ad agency and we just put up with it, but I'd be interested in a solution to this. It would've been useful to me last week as it happens!

Got me thinking though. I wonder (since I have my Acrobat set to open at 100% rather than the default 'full-size' mode that Adobe set) if it's possible to send a parameter to the plug-in on opening that tells it the zoom you want. I'd be surprised if it wasn't. I'll look into it.

i haven't got the full acrobat application here at home, but i know that you can actually set how acrobat should open a certain document (what scale, facing/continuous/etc) when saving and exporting. will have a look at work tomorrow if i can find the actual location of the settings...

We are working on a new ad platform, selling text ads, and linking to PDF ads. One usability problem we are having is, unless the consumer is familiar with Acrobat Reader, lets say a 2x5 ad is coming up full screen, which our managers don't like. We may have the problem of full page ads, since I work for a newspaper, to really bog down old machines and 52K modems. We have settled on 100 dpi for the ads to keep file size down.

The main question is how can I control what the viewer sees when they click on the ad. I've only briefly heard of embedding a pdf file in to the page. Even though this may be more work then what I want. Is there anyway I can control the size on my end when reader opens up. Or could anybody send me links or information on embedding PDFs.

Well, from a web point of view they're not ideal, cos the plug-in is a bit large to download from Adobe and though it's widely distributed for product documentation, etc., it doesn't come bundled with any mainstream software, so there's every reason to expect your end user may not have the plug-in and may not bother to download it!

That said, it's actually a fantastic format for print. It's so good in fact, that most ad agencies use it to send ads to newspapers and magazines. It's a brilliant piece of software in the right hands. And I work in an environment where if I'm producing work for a client or ourselves internally, the will have the Acrobat plugin, so I can have, say, ad proofs on a website that people can zoom in on and read. Which is great!

slightly off topic question...
Due to my unreasoning hatred of the PDF format, I use flash for most of the places that other people use PDFs, can anyone tell me where PDFs are better?]

Working on the print and web side, I don't care for pdfs on the web either.

One good thing I found was, there good for posting Company Documents. Then you can print on demand to a good laser, instead of printing 500-1000 at a time. You could use that money somewhere else. Money Benefit. Your customers can use your documents. If a sales rep forgets a contract, they can login and and download one on the fly. So you have a time saver benefit.

Time & Money, isn't that what its all about.

In the case I'm working on, another department is creating the ads. Then I don't have to recreate them in html or flash. I hate doing double work.